Tag: Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic was on the brink of his 14th Wimbledon quarter-final on Monday as Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz prepared for a testing battle against Matteo Berrettini.

In early action, Russian teen sensation Mirra Andreeva lost to US 25th seed Madison Keys while defending women’s champion Elena Rybakina progressed when Beatriz Haddad Maia quit in tears.

World number three Daniil Medvedev reached his first Wimbledon quarter-final when Czech opponent Jiri Lehecka retired with an injury.

Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic was two sets up against Hubert Hurkacz when play was halted on Sunday ahead of a locally agreed 11:00 pm curfew.

The pair were set to resume on Monday with the winner to face Andrey Rublev for a place in the semi-finals.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic is chasing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title at the All England Club and 24th career Grand Slam crown.

Top seed Alcaraz is seen as one of the few genuine threats to the defending champion, who has not lost a match on Centre Court for 10 years.

The 20-year-old has little experience on grass but won last month’s tournament at Queen’s to set himself up for a tilt at the Wimbledon title.

He comes up against the dangerous Berrettini, who reached the 2021 final, in the last match of the day on Centre Court.

Berrettini, ranked 38th, was forced to miss last year’s Wimbledon after testing positive for Covid and has subsequently struggled with an abdominal injury.

He is desperate to make up for lost time and said he was relishing the opportunity to take on Alcaraz, who won the Queen’s tournament on grass last month.

“In a way it’s what you want, right? You want to play against the best players in the world. Playing against Carlos, it’s always been like a pleasure, a fight, a great fight.”

The first result of the day was on No. 2 Court, where 16-year-old Andreeva’s fairytale run was brought to an end.

The teenager, who came through qualifying, looked set for a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals when leading Keys by a set and 4-1 but the American fought back to win 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

The match ended in controversy when Andreeva was handed a penalty point for banging her racquet into the surface.

The sanction took Keys to match point.

In the first match on Centre Court, Elena Rybakina was 3-1 up when Brazilian world number 13 Haddad Maia took a medical timeout to treat a lower back injury.

She limped back onto the court but was reduced to walking pace and was in tears as she saw out the fifth game before retiring.

“It’s never easy to finish a match like this. I hope it is nothing really serious, it is really unlucky for Beatriz,” said Rybakina.

The world number three will face either two-time champion Petra Kvitova or 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur for a place in the semi-finals.

Kvitova, the ninth seed, is showing signs of her best form on grass, nine years after she won the second of her Wimbledon crowns.

Men’s third seed Daniil Medvedev was 6-4, 6-2 ahead when 37th-ranked Lehecka, who had needed a medical timeout for a right foot injury, retired from their Court One clash.

Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas takes on American Christopher Eubanks while 2014 semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov plays sixth seed Holger Rune.

Away from the action on court, All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton said there were no plans to issue a statement after Belarusia’s Victoria Azarenka was booed off court following her defeat by Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.

As has become common, Svitolina did not shake hands with Azarenka in protest over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Belarus is a key military ally of Moscow.

“Historically in tennis the decision on how a player reacts at the end of a match is entirely a personal decision for them and I think we don’t really want to start mandating what happens,” said Bolton.

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Novak Djokovic launched his bid for an eighth Wimbledon title on Monday with a 40th successive win on Centre Court.

The 36-year-old Djokovic, who has won the past four titles at the All England Club, defeated 68th-ranked Pedro Cachin of Argentina, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) on the tournament’s showpiece court, where he has not lost since 2013.

Novak Djokovic even found time to help ground staff dry out the world’s most famous lawn after the surface became too slippery following a downpour.

The roof was closed but play did not resume for about 90 minutes, much to the frustration of the fans.

“When I come out, I usually come out with racquets, not towels,” said Djokovic, who described the court as “the holy grail, the temple of tennis”.

He added: “The conditions were not great under the roof, it was still slippery. I think it was definitely frustrating for the crowd waiting for us.”

The Serbian, bidding to match Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight Wimbledon titles, goes on to face Australia’s Jordan Thompson for a place in the third round.

World number two Novak Djokovic has already pocketed the Australian Open and French Open this year.

Winning a men’s-record 23rd major in Paris put him just one behind Margaret Court’s all-time singles mark of 24.

He is also halfway to pulling off the first calendar Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.

In Wimbledon’s biggest shock of the day, seventh-ranked Gauff slumped to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 defeat to fellow American Sofia Kenin, who came through qualifying.

Kenin, now ranked 128th in the world, was Australian Open champion and French Open runner-up in 2020 before injury and loss of form saw her career slip into a downward spiral.

“This means a lot — I had to go through qualies (qualification),” she said. “I battled out there. I am super proud of myself.

An emotional Gauff admitted she “had a lot to work on”.

There was no fairytale for five-time champion Venus Williams, the 43-year-old American who made her debut at the tournament in 1997.

Williams, playing the singles event for the 24th time, was defeated 6-4, 6-3 by fellow wild card Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a semi-finalist in 2019.

Williams took a nasty tumble early in the first set on Centre Court, hurting her right knee, which was already heavily strapped.

She required two visits by the trainer before her challenge fizzled out under the weight of 33 unforced errors.

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LONDON: History-maker Novak Djokovic on Monday, reclaimed the top spot in the ATP Rankings after his historic French Open victory which took him to 23 Grand Slam titles.

Novak Djokovic, fresh from his French Open victory, pipped both Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev to be back on the hill.

The Serb will enjoy his 388th week as the top-ranked player after his French Open victory saw him past Rafael Nadal as the leading Grand Slam titles (23).

Novak Djokovic put himself in a position to reclaim the top spot by defeating Alcaraz in the French Open semi-finals. The 36-year-old then sealed his return by defeating Casper Ruud in the final.

It will be Novak Djokovic’s third stint at World No. 1 this year and the second time in 2023 he has climbed to No. 1 by winning a major. He has won both the Australian Open and Fench Open and returned to the top of the men’s Tennis mountain each time.

In February, Novak Djokovic broke Stefanie Graf’s record for most weeks at World No. 1 by a men’s or women’s tennis player (then 377 weeks). Only one other man, Roger Federer (310 weeks), has spent more than 300 weeks as World No. 1.

The 36-year-old Djokovic will now charge towards 400 weeks, which he can reach in September.

Meanwhile, another favourite contender for the French Open title Carlos Alcaraz slipped a spot to second after his semi-final defeat against Djokovic.

The Spaniard suffered a frustrating injury in the era-defining match and was far away from his absolute best against ruthless Djokovic.

Daniil Medvedev also saw a dip in his ranking after an early exit from French Open, going down to third, while Casper Ruud despite losing in the final retained his fourth position.

Ruud defended his points from a year ago, therefore there has been no change in his ranking.

Apart from Karen Khachanov, who switched places with Felix Auger-Aliassime in the 10th position, there are no other movers in the top 10.

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Novak Djokovic created “incredible” history on Sunday when he captured a record-breaking 23rd men’s Grand Slam title, reinforcing his case to be crowned the greatest player of all time.

The 36-year-old Serb brushed off an early wobble to defeat Casper Ruud of Norway 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 7-5 to win a third French Open title and snap the tie of 22 Slams he shared with career-long rival Rafael Nadal.

“It’s an incredible feeling to win 23. I’m beyond grateful and blessed to be standing here with so many incredible achievements,” said Djokovic.

Victory for the third time in Paris, after 2016 and 2021, adds to Novak Djokovic’s 10 Australian Open titles, seven at Wimbledon and three at the US Open.

“It’s no coincidence that my 23rd Grand Slam title has come here because it has been the hardest one for me to win in my career. I am very emotional right now and I am very, very proud,” added Djokovic who fired 11 aces and 52 winners in total past Ruud.

Novak Djokovic is the first man to win all four majors at least three times and is once again halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.

When asked if he could win a 24th and 25th Grand Slam, he replied: “Yes, why not. I feel good this year, I won the two Grand Slams that I played (Melbourne then Roland Garros). So why not?”

“I am very motivated, very inspired to continue to make history in this sport.”

Only Margaret Court and Serena Williams in women’s tennis have managed to rack up 23 Grand Slam titles. Court’s all-time mark of 24 will now be in Novak Djokovic’s sights at Wimbledon next month.

“I’m going to look to win Wimbledon again. I’ve won the last four Wimbledons, I feel good on the grass,” said Djokovic.

There is little sign of Novak Djokovic slowing down. He is now the oldest French Open champion but 11 of his Slam trophies have now been won after he turned 30.

His coach Goran Ivanisevic hailed his physical fitness, describing him as a “Ninja” on court.

On Monday, Novak Djokovic will reclaim the world number one ranking from Carlos Alcaraz, who he defeated in the semi-finals in Paris, and start his 388th week in top spot.

“Many congrats on this amazing achievement. 23 is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it! Enjoy it with your family and team!” tweeted Nadal, a 14-time Roland Garros winner who missed this year’s tournament through injury.

Ruud added sportingly: “Novak, another day, another record for you. And another day you rewrite tennis history once again.”

The sense of Sunday’s occasion certainly attracted sports A-listers.

NFL legend Tom Brady watched from the Djokovic box, football stars Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sat side by side in the VIP area which also accommodated former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, a regular this weekend.

Novak Djokovic was playing in his seventh French Open final and boasted a 4-0 career record over Ruud, not having lost a single set.

However, the fourth-ranked Norwegian was the more composed of the two at the start, sprinting out of the blocks for a 2-0 lead when Djokovic shanked an overhead.

It was to be Ruud’s only service break all afternoon.

Ruud, the 2022 runner-up to Nadal, stretched to 3-0 and 4-1 before Djokovic retrieved the break in the seventh game when his opponent buried an easy smash into the net with an open court begging.

It came at the end of a lung-busting 28-shot rally.

Novak Djokovic missed a break point in the ninth game, tumbling to the red clay as he chased down a Ruud drive.

His frustration boiled over when he angrily accused umpire Damien Dumusois of rushing the players between changeovers on a heavy, humid afternoon in the French capital.

Fired up, he then raced through the tiebreak, sealing the opener with a running forehand.

Tellingly, that was Djokovic’s sixth tiebreak at this French Open and in none of them had he committed a single unforced error in the 55 points contested.

Despite being Djokovic’s junior by 12 years, Ruud, who also lost the 2022 US Open final to Alcaraz, suddenly looked spent.

Novak Djokovic broke for 2-0 in the second set and despite Ruud saving two set points in the eighth game, the Serb moved closer to his dream.

Ruud saved a break point in the third game of the third set before Djokovic was hit with a warning for taking too long between points.

But he wasn’t thrown out of his stride.

Novak Djokovic broke for love at 6-5 and sealed his place in history when Ruud went wide after three hours and 13 minutes on court.

The champion saluted his box where coach Goran Ivanisevic and wife Jelena sat.

“I know I can be a nightmare,” said Djokovic. “I want to thank you first of all for patience and tolerance and that stands out. I was really torturing you so I appreciate you being my rock, and my support and really believing in me.”

Ruud predicted Djokovic will keep winning.

“He can win on any surface, anywhere. He will be up for the challenge. I’m sure he will aim for even more. He’s not done yet,” he said.

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Novak Djokovic reached his seventh French Open final in dramatic circumstances on Friday when world number one Carlos Alcaraz suffered “whole body” cramping and tension which torpedoed his challenge.

Novak Djokovic, 36, triumphed in their semi-final 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 to become the oldest man in 93 years to reach the championship match where he will be bidding for a third French Open title and record-setting 23rd men’s Grand Slam crown.

The drama on Friday unfolded just as Djokovic had levelled the third set at 1-1 with the first two sets split but with Alcaraz seemingly in the ascendancy in the sweltering 33-degree Paris heat.

Carlos Alcaraz, 16 years Djokovic’s junior, pulled up clutching his right calf.

He forfeited his next service game because he sought treatment courtside before a scheduled change of ends and could not receive a medical timeout for cramping.

As boos and jeers rained down, Djokovic, playing in his 45th Grand Slam semi-final, swept the next five games to open a two sets to one lead.

Carlos Alcaraz left the court for a five-minute bathroom break but his physical limitations easily opened the door for Djokovic to coast into his 34th Grand Slam final, having wrapped up 10 of the last 11 games of the semi-final.

“Tough luck for Carlos, the last thing you want is cramping. I feel for him and hope he recovers and comes back very soon,” said 2016 and 2021 champion Djokovic.

“Respect for him in fighting until the end. I told him at the net that he is very young and he will win this many times.”

He added: “He was the better player in the second set. I knew I had to be more aggressive and then match and better his intensity.”

Novak Djokovic will face either 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud or Alexander Zverev for a place in the French Open championship match where he will have the opportunity to become the first man to win all four Slam titles at least three times.

In just their second career meeting, and first, at a Grand Slam, Novak Djokovic made light of the age gap by breaking for a 3-1 lead, drawing Alcaraz out of position before topping off a rally with a cool backhand.

Carlos Alcaraz let slip three break points in the seventh game as his flamboyant all-court game collided head-on with Djokovic’s storied defensive wall.

In a see-saw conclusion to the first set, Alcaraz saved a set point in the eighth game and Djokovic thwarted another break point in the ninth before he pocketed the opener when the Spaniard pushed a service return wide.

Novak Djokovic required a medical timeout on his right wrist at 3-4 down in the second set and Alcaraz pounced, finally converting a break point at the sixth attempt for a 5-3 lead.

Djokovic hit back immediately as the 20-year-old Spaniard chose the wrong time to serve up his worst game of the match and a driving backhand down the line retrieved the break.

Djokovic saved three set points in the 10th game but undid the hard work in the 12th game as a wild forehand sailed long and Alcaraz levelled up the semi-final.

It was from that point that Alcaraz’s afternoon painfully unravelled.

“It was really tough for me to move at the third set, and in the fourth set let’s say I had a one percent chance,” said the US Open champion.

He admitted that facing Djokovic for the first time at a Grand Slam caused a unique tension which contributed to his physical ailment.

“The tension of the first set, the second set, it was really intense. Really good rallies, tough rallies, dropshots, sprints,” he explained.

“Novak is a legend of our sport. If someone says that he goes onto the court with no nerves playing against Novak, he lies. Of course playing a semi-final of a Grand Slam, you have a lot of nerves, but even more facing Novak. That’s the truth.”

The clash between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz overshadowed the other semi-final of the French Open between Ruud, runner-up to Rafael Nadal in 2022, and Olympic champion Zverev who is in the last four for a third successive year.

Twelve months ago, Zverev suffered season-ending ankle ligament damage in his semi-final against Nadal.

“That was the most difficult year of my life,” said the 26-year-old German.

“I love playing tennis and the sport and competition were taken away from me. But I have been given a new chance and hopefully I can take advantage of it.”

Zverev leads Ruud 2-1 in their head-to-head match-ups but they have never met on clay.

That could prove significant as world number four Ruud boasts the best record on the surface since 2020 with 86 wins.

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Having battled through 59 encounters with Rafael Nadal over 16 years of epic rivalry, Novak Djokovic faces the Spanish legend’s heir apparent Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open in a match laced with era-defining potential.

Novak Djokovic will be playing a 45th Grand Slam semi-final on Friday; for Carlos Alcaraz, it will be just his second.

With Roger Federer retired and Nadal nursing a hip injury until next year, 36-year-old Djokovic has the responsibility of preserving the legacy of the ‘Big Three’.

“It’s definitely the biggest challenge for me,” said Novak Djokovic, chasing a third French Open title and men’s record 23rd Slam which would break the tie he currently shares with Nadal.

Friday’s showpiece will be the first time Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have met at a Grand Slam and only the second time in their careers.

Alcaraz, then still 19, defeated the Serb from a set down in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open last year, a day after he had knocked out Nadal on the faster, higher altitude courts of the Spanish capital.

He predicted then that the “sky’s the limit” and he wasn’t far wrong, claiming a maiden Slam title at the US Open and becoming the youngest world number one.

“He carries himself very well. Brings a lot of intensity on the court. Reminds me of someone from his country that plays with a left hand,” said Djokovic of a player who is 16 years his junior but already boasts the competitive DNA of Nadal.

Djokovic has 90 career wins at French Open and is playing his 11th semi-final.

When he made his tournament debut in 2005, Carlos Alcaraz was just two but despite the age gap, Djokovic is keen to measure himself against the Spaniard for the first time at a major.

“If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. He’s definitely a guy to beat here. I’m looking forward to that,” added Djokovic, bidding to reach a seventh final in the last eight majors in which he has played.

Carlos Alcaraz fell at the quarter-finals in Paris 12 months ago while Novak Djokovic’s run ended in the semi-finals at the hands of Nadal.

The Spaniard then lost in the last 16 at Wimbledon where Djokovic was crowned champion for a seventh time.

When Alacaraz swept to his maiden Slam in New York in September, the Serb was stranded at home, banned from entering the US because of his refusal to be vaccinated.

Hopes they would meet at the Australian Open, when Djokovic collected a 10th Melbourne title, were dashed when Alcaraz pulled out with a leg injury.

“Since the draw came out, everyone was expecting this semi-final against Novak, myself as well. Since last year I really wanted to play again against Novak,” said Alcaraz.

“We are both playing a great level. It’s his 45th semi-final of a Grand Slam; this is going be my second. I would say his experience is better, but I’m not going to think about that.”

Greek world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas has had a close-up view of both men this year.

He lost to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final and was swept out of Roland Garros by Alcaraz in straight sets in the quarter-final.

“Djokovic has experience; Alcaraz has legs and moves like Speedy Gonzalez,” said Tsitsipas.

“Alcaraz can hit huge, super-big shots and Djokovic prefers control over anything else, probably control and precision, to apply pressure and just make the opponent move as much as possible.”

There is also Djokovic’s famous iron will — in the five tiebreaks he has played in Paris this year, he hasn’t committed a single unforced error.

The clash between Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz has overshadowed Friday’s other semi-final between 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud and Olympic champion Alexander Zverev who is in the last four for a third successive year.

Twelve months ago, Zverev suffered season-ending ankle ligament damage in his semi-final against Nadal.

“That was the most difficult year of my life,” said the 26-year-old German.

“I love playing tennis and the sport and competition were taken away from me.”

Zverev leads Ruud 2-1 in their head-to-head match-ups but they have never met on clay.

That could prove significant as world number four Ruud boasts the best record on the surface since 2020 with 86 wins.

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Novak Djokovic closed in on a potential blockbuster French Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz after beating Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday to reach the last four.

Novak Djokovic, chasing a third French Open crown and record 23rd men’s Grand Slam singles title, advanced to a 45th major semi-final and his 12th at Roland Garros.

He will take on world number one Alcaraz or Stefanos Tsitsipas, the player he beat from two sets down in the 2021 final, for a place in Sunday’s championship match.

Novak Djokovic dropped his first set of the tournament but dominated the second-set tie-break against Khachanov before putting his foot down to secure a ninth win in 10 meetings with the Russian 11th seed.

“I think he was a better player for most of the first two sets,” said Djokovic.

“I was struggling to find my rhythm. I came into the match quite slow but played a perfect tie-break and from that moment onwards played a couple levels higher.

“It’s a big fight, something you expect in the quarter-finals. You’re not going to have your victories handed to you, you have to earn them.”

Novak Djokovic improved his record at Roland Garros to 90-16 after denying Khachanov his spot in a third successive Grand Slam semi-final. He will return to number one if he wins the title in Paris.

In the night session, tournament favourite Carlos Alcaraz goes up against Greek fifth seed Tsitsipas in his stiffest challenge so far.

Carlos Alcaraz has won all four past meetings — two of which have been on clay, most recently triumphing in the Barcelona Open final in April.

“We have played great matches. I won every match that we have played. But it doesn’t mean that I’m going to win every match that we play,” said Alcaraz.

Tsitsipas also reached this year’s Australian Open final, losing to Novak Djokovic, and has been steady rather than spectacular in 2023.

He is yet to win a title this season but has made serene progress through the draw in Paris, dropping just the one set in his opening round.

“Right now he’s one of the biggest obstacles and challenges for any player to compete against,” Tsitsipas said of Carlos Alcaraz. “Rivalries like this, they are the toughest thing you can get in our sport.”

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PARIS: Novak Djokovic reached his 55th Grand Slam quarter-final and record 17th at the French Open on Sunday with a straight-sets win over Juan Pablo Varillas.

Djokovic, chasing a third Roland Garros championship and record-setting 23rd men’s Grand Slam title, eased past his 94th-ranked Peruvian opponent, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

The 36-year-old Serb, champion in Paris in 2016 and 2021, will face 11th seed Karen Khachanov for a place in the semi-finals.

Djokovic holds a commanding 8-1 career lead over the Russian including their only previous meeting at the French Open in 2020.

“I had never played my opponent before. I knew he was a clay court specialist and that I had to earn the victory. It was the best I played this week,” said Djokovic after ensuring a 14th successive last-eight spot at the tournament.

On his record 17th quarter-final in Paris, he added: “I am very proud of this record. I have put a lot of effort into my game and I am very motivated to continue.”

On Sunday, Djokovic fought off a break point in the opening game of the first set before stretching out to a convincing 4-0 lead.

Two more breaks then helped him to a comfortable 5-1 advantage in the second set. It took Djokovic just 79 minutes to open a two-set lead.

That was in stark contrast to his gruelling third round win over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

The first two sets then needed two hours and 53 minutes to negotiate and his eventual straight-sets win proved to be the longest three-setter he had ever played, clocked at three hours and 36 minutes.

Varillas, who had never won a Grand Slam match before this year’s French Open, continued to wilt, slipping 2-1 down and then 4-1 down in the third before Djokovic put him out of his misery after a shade under two hours on court.

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Novak Djokovic will bid to reach the French Open fourth round for a 14th consecutive year on Friday after women’s third seed Jessica Pegula was dumped out of the tournament by Elise Mertens.

Djokovic has made headlines for his comments about Kosovo this week but will be hoping his progress on Court Philippe Chatrier remains serene after two straight-sets wins so far.

He said after his second-round win over Marton Fucsovics that the message “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” he scrawled on a camera following his opening match was “something I stand for”.

His next opponent, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, will likely provide a sterner test, though. The Spaniard has slipped to number 34 in the world rankings this season but was runner-up at the clay-court Monte Carlo Masters last year.

Two-time champion Novak Djokovic, who has reached the French Open quarter-finals in each of the past 13 years, will be the red-hot favourite.

The 36-year-old is hoping to break out of his tie with injured rival Rafael Nadal at the top of the men’s all-time list of major winners at the French Open.

Novak Djokovic is just one title behind Serena Williams‘ mark of 23 Slams and two adrift of Margaret Court’s overall record.

Djokovic has won two of his three matches with 29th seed Davidovich Fokina, but lost their last meeting in Monte Carlo 12 months ago.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz, considered the favourite and slated to meet Djokovic in the French Open semi-finals, features in the night-session match against talented Canadian Denis Shapovalov.

The 20-year-old Spaniard has defeated players ranked outside the top 100 in his first two matches.

Shapovalov is of a far higher calibre, though, despite struggling for form in recent months.

The Canadian was ranked in the top 10 less than two years ago and was a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2021.

Shapovalov is a big admirer of Alcaraz, who is bidding for a second straight Slam title after winning the 2022 US Open and missing this year’s Australian Open with injury.

“I think he’s a great guy. He’s super humble for achieving what he has at such a young age,” said the 24-year-old ahead of their night-session encounter.

“You can see how much he enjoys being on the court.”

Italian Lorenzo Sonego battled back from two sets down to knock out seventh seed Andrey Rublev and reach the last 16 for the second time.

The world number 48 was two points from defeat during a fourth-set tie-break but prevailed 5-7, 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 after three hours and 42 minutes on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Sonego will face Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov for a possible quarter-final meeting with Djokovic.

“Incredible comeback today,” he said. “I played more aggressive than in the first and second sets because when he’s aggressive it’s tough to compete against him.”

Eleventh seed Khachanov ended Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis’ run with an entertaining 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) win.

American Pegula’s hopes of a deep run in Paris were ended in comprehensive fashion by Belgian Elise Mertens.

The 28th seed cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory to reach the fourth round for the third time.

World number three Pegula, who only has two WTA Tour titles to her name, has still never passed the quarter-final stage of a Grand Slam tournament.

“I’m very happy to win in two sets. She’s a very good player,” said Mertens.

The former Australian Open semi-finalist will next face 2021 runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Aryna Sabalenka powered into the last 16 for the first time with a straight-sets win over Kamilla Rakhimova.

The Belarusian second seed is yet to drop a set in the tournament after a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 win against the world number 82.

Sabalenka is one of the favourites for the French Open title after a fine start to the year, including securing her maiden Grand Slam triumph in Melbourne and lifting the Madrid Open title.

“It’s really good to have a Grand Slam in your pocket — it gives you so much confidence,” she said.

Sabalenka will face either former US Open champion Sloane Stephens or Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in the fourth round.

Russian Daria Kasatkina, a semi-finalist last year, raced into the second week by thrashing American Peyton Stearns 6-0, 6-1 in under an hour.

The ninth seed will face either compatriot Anna Blinkova or Elina Svitolina on Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals.

Ukrainian Svitolina has reached the French Open third round on her first Grand Slam appearance since the 2022 Australian Open.

She is now on a seven-match winning run after also winning the title in Strasbourg last week, beating Blinkova in the final.

Svitolina refused to shake her Russian opponent’s hand after that match and will likely repeat that stance on Friday.

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PARIS: Novak Djokovic brushed aside the furore surrounding his recent comments about clashes in Kosovo by easing into the French Open third round on Wednesday, then saying they reflected what he “stands for”.

Djokovic, who is chasing a men’s record 23rd Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros, came through a marathon first set against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics before prevailing 7-6 (7/2), 6-0, 6-3 in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.

He had scrawled the message “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence” on a camera following his first-round match on Monday.

“I would say it again, but I don’t need to because you have my quotes,” said Djokovic on Wednesday.

“I’m aware that a lot of people would disagree, but it is what it is. It’s something that I stand for. So that’s all.”

There was plenty of drama on the court too during an 87-minute opening set which saw Djokovic broken while he was serving for it.

But eight previous break points saved proved key for the third seed as Djokovic went on to dominate a tie-break.

World number 83 Fucsovics could not maintain his level, though, as Djokovic raced through the next seven games.

Fucsovics rallied by breaking back early in the third set and again when Djokovic served for the match.

But Djokovic wrapped up victory in the next game on his second match point.

The Serb has still not failed to reach the third round of a Grand Slam tournament since the 2017 Australian Open.

The two-time champion will next face Spanish 29th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a fourth-round place on Friday.

– Alcaraz through –

World number one Carlos Alcaraz overcame a second-set blip to blow away Japan’s Taro Daniel 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and set up a tie with Canadian 26th seed Denis Shapovalov.

The 20-year-old is bidding to add the Roland Garros title to the US Open he won in 2022.

He has already enjoyed a fine clay-court season, winning tournaments in Barcelona and Madrid.

“I’m winning all the time because I am smiling,” said Alcaraz. “And I always said that smiling for me is the key of everything.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas cruised into the third round with a straight-sets win over Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.

The Greek fifth seed, the runner-up to Djokovic in 2021, claimed a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 win on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Tsitsipas will next face Argentinian Diego Schwartzman for a place in the second week.

Seventh seed Andrey Rublev battled past Frenchman Corentin Moutet, winning 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Thanasi Kokkinakis ended 38-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka’s tournament with a dramatic 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 triumph to reach the third round of a Slam for the first time in eight years.

The injury-plagued Australian will next take on Russian Karen Khachanov after the 11th seed’s 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 success against Radu Albot.

– Success for Svitolina –

Elina Svitolina battled back from a break and a set down to beat Storm Hunter, just 12 hours after her husband Gael Monfils’ late-night escape act.

Svitolina, playing at a Grand Slam event for the first time since the 2022 Australian Open, downed qualifier Hunter 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Home favourite Monfils claimed his first win in nine months in a five-set first-round thriller against Sebastian Baez which finished after midnight in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

“Yes, I watched him, but not live. I was screaming in my room so if someone heard me, it was me cheering for Gael,” said Svitolina, who was being supported on Court Simonne Mathieu by Monfils, who later withdrew from the tournament due to a wrist injury.

Svitolina will next play Russian Anna Blinkova in a politically-charged rematch of last weekend’s Strasbourg final, won by the Ukrainian who then did not shake her opponent’s hand.

Blinkova needed nine match points to beat French fifth seed Caroline Garcia 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a dramatic encounter.

World number two Aryna Sabalenka cruised through with a 7-5, 6-2 win over fellow Belarusian Iryna Shymanovich.

Australian Open champion Sabalenka will face Russian Kamilla Rakhimova in the last 32.

American third seed Jessica Pegula booked her spot in the last 32 when opponent Camila Giorgi retired injured after losing the first set 6-2.

Ninth seed Daria Kasatkina is also safely through after seeing off 2019 runner-up Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-4.

Former champion Jelena Ostapenko crashed out, though, losing 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to the United States’ Peyton Stearns.

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